Oberweis injects potentially divisive issue into GOP primary

(Crain's)  Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis introduced a potentially divisive issue into the GOP gubernatorial primary Monday by announcing he was planning to help fund a petition urging the state recognize only marriages between a man and woman as legal unions.

The Protect Marriage Illinois petition drive wants to put an advisory referendum on the Nov. 2006 ballot to spur the General Assembly to propose an amendment to "secure and preserve the benefits of marriage for our society and for future generations of children; a marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state."

The group hopes a majority vote in November will push the state legislature to put a binding referendum onto the 2008 ballot.

"In other states, citizens have used the constitutional amendment process to protect marriage between a man and a woman. Faced with liberal courts and activists who view traditional marriage as outdated, the citizens of nineteen other states have wisely placed marriage beyond the ruinous reach of politicians," Oberweis said in a statement.

Mr. Oberweis will make a donation to the Protect Marriage Illinois and the Protect Marriage Illinois Education Fund to push the initiative Tuesday at Courtyard Gaslite Wedding Chapel in Aurora.

Oberweis, who is likely trying to shore up support from core conservative voters, plans to ask his Republican primary opponents to back the petition as well.